Jalandhar Cantt or another seat? Pargat’s likely entry in Cong worries local aspirants

Tipped to join the Congress in coming days along with his friend and former Amrtisar MP Navjot Sidhu, Jalandhar Cantonment MLA Pargat Singh on Wednesday announced the start of his ‘new inning’ in politics to his supporters on Facebook and signalled to put his claim for the next elections from the same constituency as well.

Tipped to join the Congress in coming days along with his friend and former Amrtisar MP Navjot Sidhu, Jalandhar Cantonment MLA Pargat Singh on Wednesday announced the start of his ‘new inning’ in politics to his supporters on Facebook and signalled to put his claim for the next elections from the same constituency as well.

Pargat, who also announced in his post that he would continue the development works in Jalandhar Cantonment in his “next inning as well”, has created tension among other contestants, especially former MLA Jagbir Brar.

Brar, who is the district president of the Jalandhar rural district, is nurturing the constituency quite hard and is said to be on strong footing.

Even as on September 12, Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) chief Captain Amarinder Singh, in a press conference in Jalandhar, had announced Brar as the next candidate citing that Pargat was not in a position to win the same seat.

However, because Sidhu Pargat’s entry is being carried out through party high-command in Delhi, things are set to become interesting in the segment with the MLA, again eyeing the seat.

“It’s my native area and the people sent me to Vidhan Sabha in 2012, even as I was given ticket with only 12 days left for the polls. Of course, I would love to serve these people more,” said Pargat.

Meanwhile, in Jalandhar, all eyes of the local Congress leaders remained on the meeting of Sidhu-Pargat with Rahul Gandhi with discussions on that what if Pargat demands to contest from the Cantonment segment.

All claimants have kept their fingers crossed. Another prominent ticket seeker from the segment, former chairman of Jalandhar Improvement Trust Tejinder Bittu, has also rushed to Delhi where all prominent leaders from Punjab are camping for the meeting of the screening committee. He is seeking ticket citing his caste as he belongs to Urban Sikh community. “The SAD has also given the ticket to an Urban Sikh giving respect for the widely spread community. I am putting my case with these claims only,” said Bittu.

Brar, when contacted said, Pargat’s entry into the Congress would provide more strength to the party in Doaba. “It’s a fact that I am nurturing this constituency very hard. I am sure Pargat knows it very well and he would respect this fact as well,” said Brar. Talks are also going on in the Congress to send Pargat to Nakodar of Shahkot segments.

Rest of the works in second innings: Pargat “My dream project, developing Greenbelt area and stadiums will be developed in the area in next few years I just need your confidence that whatever I decide will be in best interest of our constituency and Punjab at large,” reads his post, with claims of spending Rs 80 crore on development in his tenure.